


Search for Self

by MonroseMeadows



Series: Artificial Artistics [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: AU, Android, Artificial Artistics Collection, F/M, Original Content - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-14 06:56:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17503790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonroseMeadows/pseuds/MonroseMeadows
Summary: This is where I will place any and all short stories that have the topic 'Android life' in common.Each and every of these short stories will have an Android as a starring character.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am very European, spelling errors and grammatical sentence structure flaws might and will occur.  
> \- I highly appreciate feedback, it helps me improve and gives me a reason to continue writing.
> 
> Search of Self, is loosely inspired by the short film 'Robot.'  
> If you haven't seen it, simply google or youtube search for Robot, Bryan Dechart.  
> I know he's the lead in the short, so that way you should be able to find it.

**Artificial** **Artistics**

**(this is part 1/?)**

This is the story of a young man named Aiden Thorne. He was the only child to a hard-working construction worker, and thus was kept up in his room most of his life. He liked his room, and the many nice things his father had bought for him over the years. He had gathered quite the collection of toys, specifically plastic action figures – those had always been his favorites of the bunch. He had spent many hours exploring his imagination with said figures, fabricating the most adventurous of stories, all in his mind. Though in the mornings he would be awakened by the sound of playful laughter, or the occasional cry of frustration. He would quickly run to the bedroom window to catch a glimpse of neighbors placing their children in the car or walking them to school under the orange glow of the dim street lights. And he allowed his mind to wander, wondering where they might be going, since they seemed to return only a handful of hours later. Colorful backpacks worn on their backs as they walked down the stretch of sidewalk that led to the row of suburban houses neighboring his father’s. Aiden had never spoken to another child, had never played with another child, and his father was too exhausted to pay much attention to him after a long day at work. He had often wondered what it was like to play with the other children, especially during the winter season. He loved how the snow caked on the windowsill, and the glass got covered in tiny but manifold ice crystals. He would adore the thick blankets of white snow that covered the streets – and watched the neighborhood children as they played, the snow cracking under their boots, and their hands preoccupied with building families of snowmen.

As he got older and matured, Aiden had learned to keep mostly to himself. He had asked his father to build a sturdy bookcase for the books he had collected birthday after birthday. And he had read all of them at least twice, but the gnawing feeling of boredom failed to be extinguished. And one day, while his father had left for work in the morning, Aiden had sneaked out of his room to collect the spare house key from the key rack in the entrance hall. He was thrilled to experience a sense of freedom for the first time in his life, and hastily wrapped a woolen scarf around his neck. When he opened the door and set foot outside, fresh flakes of snow twirled down from the skies and attached themselves to strands of his dark hair. He held out a hand and watched as the flakes landed in his palm before melting into a thin trail of water. He shivered and pressed his face into the fabric of his scarf when the cold greeted him – but he felt far too eager to explore the outside world to be bothered. The smile on his face only deepened when he heard the snow crack and break under his heels when he made his way down the street. The bark of a neighbor’s dog gained his attention, but he quickly regretted approaching the weary animal when it jumped up against a wire-frame fence, which caused the metal to bounce in and out of place against the stationary and load-carrying poles. He had never seen an animal outside of plentiful of his books.

The straight and arrow path had guided him to the park. It was an area rather small in size, but a large fountain stood proud in the center of the land. It had unfortunately been drained due to the weather, but that did not take away of the adorning statue’s impressive height and artistry. He watched a pair of doves hop around the cemented soil surrounding it, mindlessly they pecked at what had remained of a spilled meal. They cocked their small heads up as Aiden slightly tilted his head, and within a blink of an eye, they had flapped their gray wings upward and aimed for a nearby tree. Aiden smiled, a twinkle present in his hazel eyes.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Feet thundered down the stairs, a gray coat hastily wrapped around a slim body. A young woman reached for the wicker fruit basket on the kitchen table, and as she ran through the door, she clenched her jaws around the hard exterior of an apple. She hurriedly unlocked her bike and picked up the gear as she placed her boots on the pedals. Snow clung to her brown hair as it wavered behind her at a high speed. Avoiding the occasional pedestrian, she made her way through the entrance of the park. It had always been the short-cut of choice, ever since she was a little girl and had to run errands for her grandmother. A quick trip to the local fruit farmer to pick up a batch of freshly picked apples, or a quick trip into town to pick up the items on her mother’s grocery list. She had always loved the outdoors, rain or shine. The scent of the grass and the small drops of dew that rested on the blades, the sound of chirping birds and the flapping of their wings – the hustle and bustle of the city just out of arm’s reach. This morning was no difference, and by tradition, she sped through the small pathways that circled the statue of the town’s founder, Albertus Theodore McAllistor. Her mind wandered for a moment, and she let her head fall back as she focused on the wind blowing through her hair. It was then that a large flock of doves rose from the cement, and the sudden addition of movement forced her to open her eyes. Just in time, as she had captured the frame of a person in the distance, far enough for her to slam the brakes with effort. The tires screeched as they slid over the pavement, the bicycle coming to an abrupt stop as the wheels curved sideways.

She gasped, hands clutched around the handlebar, knuckles a bright shade of white. The person she within a hair’s width managed to avoid, simply looked up at her – confusion written in a pair of hazel eyes. She dismounted the bike, lowering the leg and rushed over.

“God! I’m terribly sorry! I was lost in thoughts, I thought I would hit you for sure! Are you alright?”

The young man blinked as he took in the panicked demeanor of the woman standing in front of him. Said woman reached for her chest and breathed out a sigh of relief as she threw her head back. “Thank God, I didn’t hit you.”

She leaned in closer, brow furrowed ever so slightly as she inspected the stranger’s face more attentively. While her heartbeat slowly returned to its regular rhythm, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity wash over her as she studied the man’s soft facial features.

“I’m... alright.” Aiden eventually managed to mumble. Uncertain as how to read the situation, and foreign to proper social norms and interaction. He locked eyes with the brunette, his gaze remained fixed a second too many, thus he drew a breath and took a step back. “I’m … alright.” He confirmed once more.

“I know it might sound strange ...” the woman started, then she let her gaze wander. “But you look so familiar. It feels like … I’ve seen you somewhere before.” Her statement followed up by a short-lived laugh. “Don’t mind me. I’m Alea.”

Aidan smiled. “Aiden. I.. Don’t think I’ve seen you before…”

“I’m headed for the town center. If you share that destination, I would be more than happy to offer you a ride.” Alea said straightening her scarf. “It’s the least I can do for almost ramming you off the road.”

“Oh … I suppose that would be alright.”

“Alright.” Alea said with a smirk as she picked up her bike. “Hop on then.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy with the result for the theme song to this short story.  
> I have been messing around on my synth for a day, and must say I like the result.  
> Once this story is close to ending, I will link the theme song, so you guys can give it a listen.  
> i really think it suits the general innocent feel of this story.

**Artificial Artistics.**

**(part 2/?)**

Aleah hopped of the bike, holding on to allow Aiden to step off, before placing the vehicle against the shop’s exterior wall. “I have to pick up some items for my mom.” She said smiling and searched her pockets for a small piece of paper. Once found what she had been looking for, she unfolded the paper and took a closer look at the scribbled handwriting. Aleah’s mother was known for her illegible handwriting, but Aleah had learned to decipher it over time. “A loaf of wheat bread, a stick of butter, two cartons of milk, flour and 5 red apples.” She turned to Aiden, who had been observing his surroundings with big eyes. She tilted her head to the side and felt a smile tug at the corners of her lips. “Anywhere in particular you’re expected, Aiden?” The young man in question turned to give her a look, but ultimately shook his head. “Why don’t you come with me? I’d love to have some company. This time of the year, the stores are mostly deserted. So, it’d be nice to have someone to smile at.” Aleah motioned toward the entrance, and Aiden followed suit. His eyes darting back and forth between the isles and the many food items on display. He followed Aleah toward the fruit section and inhaled the scent of the freshly picked fruit. Aleah watched from the corner of her eye as she filled a small plastic bag with apples and placed them on a scale. “Mr. Edwards grows and harvests most of the fruit produce himself. That’s why you can rest assured the fruits are as fresh as can be.” Aiden gave a short nod of the head and followed Aleah as she made her way through the aisles. The woman behind the counter smiled at the two teens and handed Aleah her items in a paper bag. And Aiden Thorne had made the astute observation that Aleah loved to smile. She had smiled during most of their trek through the small store, smiled during their bike ride through the farm lands of Ashworth, and she had even smiled when apologizing for her reckless driving maneuvers that had let to their introduction.

Aleah placed the paper bag on the luggage carrier of the bicycle, the ever-present smile adorning her facial features. She seemed to be an easy-going person. Not easily deterred by the hardships of life nor possible fears she might kept hidden. And Aiden had to admit he liked to see her smile, her eyes lit up when she did – and it was a pleasant view. The brunette turned to Aiden, hands buried in the pockets of her gray winter coat. “You’re not very talkative, are you, Aiden?” She added a shake of the head and turned back to her bike. “Walk with me?” Before Aiden could come up with a fitting response, he had found himself walking besides Aleah, the bike’s handle held in her hands as she walked with it. Aiden’s brown eyes darted toward a group of children running on the opposite side of the road, small balls of rolled up snow following their movements. Their laughter resounded in the distance, accompanied by the sound of the cracking snow under the tires of a handful of bikes. Aleah followed his line of sight and smiled sweetly. “I envy them, you know?” She looked at Aiden. “Their ability to find joy in the smallest of things. The simplest of things. No worries troubling them yet, no fears. Little expectations. Freedom to do and be pretty much whomever you want to be.” Aiden could have sworn to see her brows furrow for a split second, before those small wrinkles were straightened again by another warm smile. “What I wouldn’t give to be a kid again.” Aiden walked with her for a good quarter of an hour, until Aleah stopped in her tracks and looked up at a small cottage in the outskirts of town. Mostly hidden and shrouded by the surrounding forestation. She turned to Aiden and flashed a smile. “This is my destination.” She parked the bike in the driveway, the paper bag held in her arms. “I’m happy you kept me company all the way, Aiden.” She looked back at the cottage. “We should meet again soon. Perhaps next time you’ll be the one in need of company when gathering food supplies for their mother.”

Aiden’s face fell and the light in his eyes had extinguished. He lowered his head and pressed his chin into the wool of his scarf. Aleah was quick to notice the shift in demeanor and leaned in, a careful hand placed on his arm. “Was it something I said?” Aiden looked up and found a pair of hazel eyes looking back at him. “I have never met my mother. For as long as I can remember, it had only been my father and I.” Aleah’s smile traded places with a lesser known human expression to Aiden, and he couldn’t quite decipher its meaning. He breathed out a sigh he was unaware of holding in, when Aleah wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and he could feel the ends of Aleah’s short hair tickle the sides of his neck. The sensation was foreign to him, but not unpleasant. He eased into the embrace and smiled faintly when they parted. Aleah smiled once more. “I’m sure we’ll run into each other again. And the next time that happens, I promise not to run you over with my bike.” She held up two fingers. “I solemnly swear to not run over Aiden with my bike.” The meaning of said symbol went over Aiden’s head, but he felt it must have a connection to sincerity. A desired trait humans look for in their own kind. He voiced a laugh, and shortly after, Aleah joined him. The teens stood there for a good 5 minutes, laughing together as the snow collected in their hair and on their clothes. Then Aleah walked up the stairs and turned to wave goodbye when she had reached the door. “Goodbye, Aiden.” Aiden imitated her gesture and smiled. “Goodbye, Aleah.”

He traced his footsteps back to his father’s house. He stopped in front of the entrance gate and looked up to take in the exterior of the large residence. For almost 16 years he had only seen the insides of the walls that kept it standing. It was clearly larger in size than Aleah’s home, and it had more yard space. Though most of it was now covered in a thick layer of snow. His father had always given him whatever his heart desired, but there was one thing he would never be able to give Aiden: friendship. Aiden brought his hand up to the fence and brushed off some of the caked-on snow. The material melting when it came into contact with his fingertips, and he eyed the watery trails that crossed his palm. He pushed the gate open and walked through, following the small cemented path that led to the front door.  He had reached for the doorknob when the door swung open and his father stood in the doorway. “Aiden! Jesus, son! I was mortified something might have happened to you!” He pulled Aiden inside, and was sure to quickly shut the door behind him. He brushed some of the snow from Aiden’s face, and combed a hand through the few curly strands of hair that had escaped his beanie. “You have to promise me to never run away without telling me, Aiden. Can you promise me that?” Aiden tilted his head and took a few steps back. “I met a girl. Her name’s Aleah. And she wants to meet me again.” He removed his boots and coat, then turned back to his father. “And so do I.” He said before ascending the stairs and he returned to his room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Artificial Artistics**

 

**(this is part 3/?)**

 

Aiden turned to look at his bedroom door the moment he heard his father leave for work that morning, then turned back to the piece of paper in front of him on the desk. It was a sketch of Aleah, or at the very least, how he remembered her. It had already been almost three weeks since he had seen her, but he was unable to forget her most alluring attribute: her smile. He was pleased that his father had refrained from bringing up that one faithful day, as he knew he would be unable to put up much of a fight in an argument with his father. Not that he was fond of arguing with his father in the first place, he had always been good to him. Spoiled him even, so there was little to no ground to stand on when it came to harboring any kind of hatred toward the man. Aiden turned back to the drawing, his mind made up. He turned the doorknob, weary at first as he carefully and cautiously poked his head out the door and peeked down the stretch of hallway. The house was left dormant, and thus Aiden took that as his cue to descend the stairs with socked feet. He hastily dressed himself for the cold weather, pressing down a head of curly, chestnut hair with a burgundy beanie. He looked back at the house one final time, before closing the door behind him. He curiously observed the footprints that followed behind him as he trekked through the snow, not minding the snowflakes that had gathered in some lost strands of his hair. Aleah’s house was small, but it looked cozy, nonetheless. He eyed the doorbell for a moment, to eventually gather the courage to bring a finger toward it. The young teen raised his brows when the sound of a canine’s bark resounded from within the house, and once the door opened, he took a few steps back. An older woman that looked like she was in her forties sent him a surprised look, and Aiden found himself lost for words. Yet there seemed to be no need for them, as the woman stepped aside, allowing Aiden to enter.

“I’ll let Aleah know you’re here. What was your name again, sweetie?”

Aiden swallowed and he clenched his fists in the pockets of his winter coat. “Aiden.” The woman sent him a nod before ascending the stairs. Left to his own devices, Aiden took the opportunity to take a closer look at his new surroundings. A large mirror decorated one of the walls in the entrance hall, and underneath it stood a large, wooden dresser. On its surface rested a handful of framed pictures, a vase filled with red flowers, and other small statues that resembled avian creatures. The coatrack only held 2 coats, a beige trench coat, and the gray coat Aiden remembered Aleah to wear. Next to the door, there stood a small shoe rack with pairs of shoes that had already collected quite some snow. Aiden was then reminded of a possible canine in the residence and told himself to keep as still as possible – as not to attract its attention. The first and only canine he came into contact with, had violently barked at him, exposing two strong jaws full of sharp teeth.

“Aiden? Aleah is up in her room. It’s the second door on the right.”

Aiden nodded at the woman, and quickly walked past her. As he made his way up the stairs, he could hear the faint rhythmic beats of music. As he followed the sound, he shortly thereafter found himself standing in front of Aleah’s bedroom door. Colorful letters decorated the painted-white wood, and it made him angle his head in confusion. Footsteps neared, soundwaves vibrating as they thundered over a carpeted floor and the door was opened. Aiden looked up in surprise, yet felt his panic decrease the moment a familiar pair of eyes looked back at him. Aleah smiled as per usual. She had grabbed Aiden by the arm and eagerly pulled him inside her room, the door clicked as it fell shut behind them. Aleah’s room had far more color than the entrance hall, and there were no flowers to be detected. The walls were coated in a sky-blue paint and the sheets on her bed had a soft shade of yellow. Aiden’s attention was immediately drawn to the many colorful posters that adorned the surrounding walls, the closet doors included. He watched as Aleah walked over to her desk, where she leaned down to turn the knob of the stereo – lowering the volume of the music that had been playing before.

“I’m happy to see you again. I was afraid you might have forgotten about me.”

She wrapped her arms around Aiden’s thin frame, eyes closed as she closed the distance between them. Aleah smelled nice – he hadn’t noticed during their first encounter. Then again, she _was_ dressed in a thick winter coat … Aiden smiled softly as Aleah stepped back and gestured toward the bed. The two teens sat in silence for a while, both lost in thoughts. Aiden was the first to break the silence, and the soft sound of his voice made Aleah look up. “There were only two coats on the coat hanger.” He turned to lock eyes with Aleah, she flashed a weak smile, then leaned back against the wall, while taking one of the stuffed animals on the bed and trapping it between her arms. “Yeah, there are only two.” She traced the rabbit’s fluffy ears with her fingertips. “It’s just me and mom for the moment.” She briefly looked up at Aiden, only to fix her eyes back on the stuffed animal. “My dad travels a lot for his work, so we rarely get to see him. And when he does come home, he’s usually too tired to spend time with us.” Aiden frowned, but Aleah just smiled at the void. “It’s okay, though. It’s been like that for as long as I can remember. So, instead of feeling sad, I just try to spoil him whenever I can.” The girl then closed her eyes as she threw her head back, laughing. “Bring him breakfast in bed or cleaning his workspace. Small signs of appreciation.”

“Do you miss him?”

Aleah looked up, the stuffed animal lied in her lap, limp and motionless.

“Do you miss your mother?”

Aiden pressed his lips together, his eyes averted as he tried to think of a fitting answer. Yet, there was none.

“I told you I have never met my mother. And my father doesn’t want to talk about her much.”

Aleah gave a short nod. “Do you look like her? You must have seen pictures of her in the house.”

Aiden leaned back against the wall, looking down as to make prevent his wet shoes from making contact with Aleah’s bedsheets. He had never given it much thought. He had brought it up when he was younger, but his father simply avoided the topic all together. Aiden had no recollection of his mother, and the only person with information, refused to share it with him. He knew his father kept old furniture and paperwork up in the attic, but Aiden was strictly forbidden from entering. Much like he was forbidden to leave the house at all costs… And he had broken that rule twice. He felt Aleah shift on the bed and decided to shrug his shoulders.

“I have not. But… I know that my father keeps old stuff in the attic. Maybe there are pictures in one of the old boxes.”

Aleah’s smile deepened and she leaned in closer to Aiden. A certain glint hidden within her gray eyes.

“Then you should investigate. It must be horrible not to know who you really are.” She averted her gaze for a second. “You should do it at night, when your father is asleep. That way, he won’t be able to catch you. But… you will have to bring a light with you, because attics are very dark at night.”


End file.
